Collapsible push chair and the like



Dec. 3, 1949. MARCHANT 2,223,960

COLLAPSIBLE PUSH CHAIR AND THE LIKE Filed April 26, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet l /N VEN To? 7', J. Mnecl/n/vr Dec. 3, 1940- T. J. MARCHANT 3 COLLAPSIBLE PUSH CHAiR AND THE LIKE Filed April 26, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 van/ v Dec. 3, W40.

T. J. MARCHANT COLLAPSIBLE PUSH CHAIR AND THE LIKE Filed April 26, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /N VEN r0? 7'. J: Maze/44m Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES COLLAPSIBLE PUSH CHAIR THE LIKE Thomas John Marchant, Tiptree, England Application April 26,

1939, Serial No. 270,057

In Great Britain July 24, 1938 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to collapsible push chairs and the like framed seats adapted to be folded into a compact somewhat flat assembly. The object of my invention is to enable 'a collapsible push chair or seat to be extended and automatically locked into the operativeposition by a simple single operation.

According to this invention a collapsible push chair or seat is of the type with a readily collapsible or flexible, e. g. canvas strip, seat and back rest secured across a transverse member of a back frame and a seat frame, and is characterised in that the back frame is adjustable in effective length and the said two frames are pivotably connected so that they can be brought close together when collapsed, the back frame having means therewith to lock it in predetermined maximum extended position when the seat is in use.

In carrying one form of this invention into practice a collapsible chair comprises a U shaped back frame which is telescopic, and a U shaped seat frame, the said two frames being pivoted on a common axis so that they can be brought close 25 together when collapsed, the telescopic side limbs of the back frame having means to lock them in predetermined maximum extended position when the chair is in use, slidable elements of the telescopic arrangement of the back frame having connected to them ends of a pair of side bars pivoted between their ends to the side limbs of the seat frame whereby said pair of side bars are folded close alongside the side limbs of the seat frame contemporaneously with the collapsing of the structure, said side bars carrying at their ends remote from said slidable elements a pair of wheels or other suitable ground engaging members to form two points of support, the other necessary pair of wheels or ground engaging members being carried in juxtaposition to the pivoted connection of the back and seat frames, the transverse parts of the two U shaped frames having connected across them a flexible seat and back rest.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect a sheet of drawings is appended hereto illustrating an embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of the push chair in the operative condition.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows in side elevation the push chair half opened.

Fig. 4 shows in side elevation the push chair 6S nearly completely folded.-

Fig. 5 is a broken detail plan view of the foot rest.

Fig. 6 is a part sectional side elevation of a modification in which the frame elements are composed of tubular metal.

' Fig. '7 is a detail broken side elevation showing the seat frame and a co-operating front wheel carrying frame partly folded.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation showing the seat folded, and

Fig. 9 is a detail broken side elevation view showing a modification in which the seat frame as well as the back frame is telescopic.

Referring to the drawings the back rest of the collapsible push chair has upper parts I joined by a transverse upper member 2 across which and a transverse member 3 joining side limbs ll of a seat frame issecured the length of fabric or the like 24 forming the flexible seat and back rest.

The side limbs 4 of the seat frame are pivoted at their free ends to an axle 5 carrying within said side limbs the rear pair of wheels 6. The free ends of the upper parts I carry a pair of rectilinear collars l which slide along a pair of lower parts 8 of the back frame. The lower'parts 8 are located close alongside the side limbs so as to be in linear continuity therewith and pivoted at their lower ends to said rear axle 5. These .lower parts 8 consequently form with the upper parts I joined by transverse member 2 an extensible back frame. V

Pivoted by pins 9a to the said pair of collars 1 are the rear ends of a pair of supporting limbs 9 which are longer than the side limbs 4 of the seat frame and are bridged at their front ends by a front axle I0 carrying the front pair of wheels Hi. When the push chair is collapsed these supporting limbs 9 lie close alongside the side limbs 4 of the seat frame, and they are pivoted by riveted-over pins II or their equivalent to such side limbs at a point slightly in rear of the centre of said side limbs. By this means when the push-chair is opened out, supporting limbs 9 and theside limbs 4 of the seat frame intersect X fashion as shown in Fig. 1.

At the front ends of the side limbs 4 are a pair of upstanding lugs l2 and connected to these lugs are the front ends of a pair of break-back or like links l3, e. g. two pairs of bars, one pair each side, each pair of bars being pivoted together at one end by a pivot pin [4, and one being pivoted at its other end to the appropriate .lug l2, and the other forming an arm rest, being pivoted at its other end by a pin [5 to the upper part I of the back frame at a point which is shown in Fig. 4 as just in front of the free end of the adjacent lower part 8 of the back frame when the chair is collapsed. By this means when the push chair is collapsed the arm rest bars of the double links l3 fold close alongside the bars of such links which are pivoted to said lugs I2, and when the push chair is opened out, these two pairs of bars form substantially L shaped side arms.

The push chair is opened out simply by holding down the back axle and pulling up on the transverse member 2 forming upper parts I of the back frame, the angle of movement relatively to the plane supporting the wheels being about a right angle. Locking pins I! are carried by the cranked ends I!) of a transverse bar 20 slidably supported in bent lugs 2| aflixed to and depending from a horizontal bar 22 secured at its cranked ends 22a to the upper ends of the lower parts 8 of the back frame by riveted pins 23. The locking pins H are adapted to trip into apertures l8 in the lower parts 8 of the back frame via similar apertures in the upper parts I, so as to lock the upper and lower parts in maximum extended position. Apertures 29 similar to apertures I8 are provided in the upper parts I, the pins ll being adapted to trip into the apertures 29 via the apertures in the lower parts 8 to lock the push-chair in the collapsed position, i. e. the position in which the upper and lower parts of the back frame are at minimum extension.

The seat and back rest can as beforesaid, be a length of fabric 24 or other suitable material with tubes at its ends fitted over the transverse members 2 and 3 of the seat and back frames. It will be seen that the upper or free ends of the lower parts 8 are bridged by the bar 22, and it is preferred to pass the length of fabric or the like 24 under this bar 22.

If desired a suitable foot rest panel 25 can be suported by side angle bars 26 upon the front axle I and a transverse bar 21 secured by crank ends 28 to the normally front lower ends of the supporting limbs 9.

The invention is not necessarily limited to wheeled chairs, as feet may be provided instead of wheels.

In the modification shown; in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive, instead of having two overlapping upper and lower parts I and 8 for the extensible back frame, the upper parts I are tubular and in their lower ends slide tubular lower parts 8 which have apertures (not visible) to receive the locking pins ll. 7

Also the frame 4 and a frame 9 taking the place of the beforesaid supporting limbs 9, are of tubular metal, the lower or rear ends of the side limbs 4 being bifurcated as at 4a to receive pivotally a pair of cranks 30 fixed to the axle 5.

The frame Spreferably has a rubber sleeve 3| fitted over its front end which extends beyond the wheels I6, and the front axle also having a pair of rubber sleeves 32 thereon thereby affording a comfortable foot rest. The rear ends of the frame member 9 are flattened to engage in U' shaped brackets 33 welded to the lower ends of the frame I and having pivot pins 34 passed therethrough.

Instead of having the folding link arrangement of arm rests shown in Fig. 1, these can be omitted and a pair of side or shoulder members 35 of U configuration can be welded to the side members of the frame I. 7

To facilitate folding and unfolding the seat,

and also to act normally as an emergency brake, a brake lever 36 can be pivoted between its ends to a U shaped brake bar 31 pivoted to the pivot pins or bolts ll, one end of the lever 36 forming a finger piece 36a, and the other end being cranked laterally outwards as at 38 to afford a cam action against a metal bearing strip 39 afiixed to the appropriate side limb 4. A coiled tension spring 40 is connected across the appropriate side limb 4 and the U shaped brake member and snaps the brake on when the cranked end of the brake lever is disengaged from the said bearing strip. The brake is a rubber or other suitable sleeve 4| on the cross member of the U shaped bar 31.

If desired the seat frame may be extensible, and such an arrangement is shown in Fig, 9, in

' which the tubular side limbs 4 of the seat frame receives slidable tubular co-axial extensions 4b. The inner elements 4b can be locked to the element 4 by a locking device 40 similar to the looking device constituted by the transverse part 20 and associated elements.

I claim:

1. A collapsible chair which comprises a back frame having extensible uprights formed of slidably connected upper and lower parts and a transverse member joining said upper parts, means for looking said parts in a position of predetermined maximum extension, a seat frame having side limbs joined by a transverse member, supporting limbs pivoted between their ends and on a common axis to said side limbs at points between the ends of the latter, said supporting limbs and side limbs being pivoted on common axes near their extremities to the upper and lower parts of said uprights respectively, and a length of flexible material extending between said transverse members to form a seat and back rest, the arrangement being such that as said uprights are reduced in length said seat frame, back frame and supporting limbs are brought close together.

2. A collapsible chair which comprises a back frame having extensible uprights formed of slidably connected upper and lower parts and a transverse member joining said upper parts, means for locking said parts in predetermined positions of maximum and minimum extension, a seat frame having side limbs joined by a transverse member, supporting limbs pivoted between their ends and on a common axis to said side limbs at points between the ends of the latter, said supporting limbs and side limbs being pivoted on common axes near their extremities to the upper and lower parts of said uprights respectively, and a length of flexible-material extending between said transverse members to form a seat and back rest, the arrangement being such that as said uprights are reduced in length said seat frame, back frame and supporting limbs are brought close together.

3. A collapsible chair which comprises a back frame having extensible uprights formed of slidably connected upper and lower parts and a transverse member joining said upper parts, means for locking said parts in predetermined positions of maximum and minimum extension, said means comprising spring loaded pins mounted for transverse movement with regard to said uprights and each adapted to' trip in an aperture in one of said lower parts via either of a pair of similar apertures in the corresponding upper part, a seat frame having side limbs joined by a transverse member, supporting limbs pivoted between their ends and on a common axis to said side limbs at points between the ends of the latter, said supporting limbs and side limbs being pivoted on common axes near their extremities to the upper and lower parts of said uprights respectively, and a length of flexible material extending between said transverse members to form a seat and back rest, the arrangement being such that as said uprights are reduced in length said seat frame, back frame and supporting limbs are brought close together.

THOMAS JOHN MARCI-IAN'I. 

